Friday, May 5th, 2006...7:32 am
The Importance of Outcome Based Thinking
When we begin to put together the plans for a new project, it is very important to think constantly about the desired outcome for each project.
What do we want the project to look like when it is finished?
How will it feel to have accomplished this task?
Now I am not necessarily into meditation. However, I truly do believe in the effectiveness of visualization. When I was an athlete in high school, I had a coach that believed in it, and passed it along to us as players. Before a game, he would literally turn out the lights in the locker room for around 15 minutes. No, he was not some kind of Zen Master. He understood that visualization was a good tool to set an attitude of confidence among the team. I found it quite effective at setting the mind toward the desired outcome.
In life, as in sports, we can set our minds in the same way. You don’t have to turn out the lights or sit “cris-cross apple sauce” as my daughter says (when I was a youngster her age, we just called it “Indian style”). If that works for you, however, that is fine. You need to do what feels comfortable.
When contemplating a new effort or project, spend some time thinking about what you want to accomplish, and how it will feel. It might just be something completed flawlessly, or it could be a catalyst to a promotion or a better life. But let your mind experience that success. Think of it from every angle.
Can success in this project help my career path?
What will success in this venture do for my work team as a whole?
It will help you plan because you are already seeing the results in a way that will better help you figure our how to get there. It will also serve to motivate you to strive for that feeling of accomplishment that comes with a successfully completed project.
-Jason
6 Comments
May 5th, 2006 at 2:28 pm
I think that visualization is a good idea. The only thing one has to keep in mind is to stay positive. If you stay positive your actions will reflect that you’ll reach the goal faster. At least that works for me
May 5th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
Doesn’t Steve Pavlina have something going on at his web site about making $1 million just by thinking about it every day?
May 5th, 2006 at 3:28 pm
I agree, Mirko. You have to stay positive for visualization to work for you.
David, haha. I think there may be a limit to what you can do by just thinking about it.
May 8th, 2006 at 12:08 am
This is definitely something I need to learn more. It’s popped up a few times for me in the recent past now. I can so easily become down and drag my feet… “this won’t work, or I’ll never finish this..” or “I’m sure to fail…” It’s horrible. The funny thing, is it’s only worry. Often the down mood and worry makes it *more* difficult to work, and my predictions become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I need to learn how to make positive self-fulfiling prophecies, and motivate my work to accomplish all that I must this year!
Great entry, Jason! I think I’ll try and schedule a positive think-session and brain-download sometime in the near future!
May 8th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
Allen,
Negative thoughts are certainly self fulfilling prophecies. The problem is being realist without being pessimist. See things how they are, then realize how we can change the way things are for the better.
Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
May 17th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
Visualization is very good. Always practicing but wanted to note…
A test with visualization and basketball I once read. Three sets of students.
First group didn’t do squat, no practice, no visualization, notta.
Second group practiced free throws so many times a day.
Third group visualized free throws so many times a day.
Results
First group: couldn’t shoot any better then when they started.
Second group: Makes majority of their shots due to practice
Third group: Made almost as many shots as the second group. Way better then group 1.
So visualizing your outcome is almost as beneficial as learning from the experience through practice.
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